Tag Archives: cycling

There’s something I’ve been meaning to post about here for some time: The “riding makes you thin!” meme. So many times I see it mentioned on bike blogs that so and so can eat whatever they want because they bike.

my homemade macarons

It is true for some people, I’m sure. But I have actually had the opposite experience, and I feel like I can’t be the only one. When I first started cycling in April 2008, I lost a few pounds. Then, as my cardiovascular fitness improved and my commute was no longer a real workout, that weight came back — with a little bit extra, probably due to a combo of increased muscle mass, age-related metabolism slowdown, and the fact that cycling makes me hungry. On someone who is 5’2″ (optimistically!) even a small amount can be noticeable.

That said, bicycling has made other, more important changes in my body. I can run (well, OK, jog) 3+ miles now without being seriously sore/tired the next day, when previously one mile on the treadmill made me feel like dying. My ride to work takes a couple minutes less than it did 3 years ago, and I can ride across town without breaking a sweat (figuratively; this is Tennessee!). I have cycled 30 miles in a day without my legs being sore. It is seriously awesome.

In some ways it it frustrating to feel so healthy and fit, and yet not be the Cosmo-approved width (at least, I assume I’m not—I gave up reading Cosmo at least 5 years ago). But I am short with a medium/muscular build, my legs especially. Cycling doesn’t do a lot to work against nature in that area. Maybe if I gave up sweets and alcohol (not gonna happen), I could be back to the weight I was when I was 23. But the fact is, cycling is a rather efficient form of exercise. You just don’t burn that many calories riding 30-40 minutes a day at a moderate pace, like I do.

In short, I can’t promise you that riding your bike means being able to eat an unlimited amount of cupcakes, or croissants or whatever your treat of choice might be. It might even make your butt bigger. It is more likely to give you T-Rex arms than Michelle Obama arms (tm Elisa!).

But I can promise you that it will give you more energy, build your stamina and get your heart in better shape. And oh yeah, it’s fun. Most days, that’s enough of a bargain for me.

This Friday, the cycling event of the summer begins! We couldn’t be more excited about hosting the Summer Games again this year—and giving out some wonderful prizes for you players out there.

Things are a little different this year. Instead of three separate parts, we’re asking you to complete 4 out of 10 of the events from the list below between July 22 and August 8. Once you have completed your events, there are two ways to enter:

1) Email us links to your blog posts detailing the activities; or

2) Email us your story and photographs [LGRAB@letsgorideabike.com].

Please use the subject line [Summer Games]. At any time, you can also upload your photos to our Summer Games Flickr pool. By entering, you give us permission to publish your content here.

Last week my aunt sent me a link that I can’t resist sharing with you—since I have a feeling that many of our readers share my interest in (OK, obsession with) both cycling and women’s issues/history. And there’s even a bonus nod to France! The only surprise is that it took me this long to post the link.

Taking freedom by the bars

Rebecca Ramsey’s Wonders Never Cease focuses on one “wonder” per post, giving a brief history and presenting images collected from various sources. Her May 13 post highlights the bicycle—or, as the suffragettes dubbed it “the Freedom Machine”—and includes this stellar quote from Susan B.:

“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.”

As Rebecca says, woo-hoo! Other highlights of the post include a history of Michelin tires, a lovely bicycle ad from the early 1900s and a clip of the bicycle’s precursor the Dandy Horse. So, during National Bike Month, take a moment to celebrate the unique place the bike has had in women’s lives.

I recently received a copy of Richard Hurst‘s The Cyclist’s Manifesto, and since anecdotal evidence has proven that many bike commuters are also readers, I thought I’d let you all know it’s coming to a store near you in May.

Hurst jokes(?) on his blog that “[m]uch of it consists of unstable rantings,” but he promises a lot of information on bicycle history as well as conjecture about its future, and I’m looking forward to getting deeper into the book (so far, I’ve only read the first few pages, which are setting the stage by explaining our current problems with oil, etc.). I haven’t read his first book, The Art of Cycling, which seems to be a touchstone for many cyclists—any Hurst fans out there who can tell me what to expect? Judging from what I’ve read of the book and on his site, he’s got plenty of opinions and isn’t afraid to express them. Wish he’d prevailed with the publishers on this issue:

I think the publishers (Falcon) like the title ‘The Cyclist’s Manifesto,’ but I am hoping for something that better reflects my preference for the machine over its often insufferable jockies: ‘The Bicycle Manifesto.’

About this blog

As two women who practice city cycling with style and think you can too, we started this blog to share our stories, learn more about cycling and encourage others to rediscover the fun of riding a bike. All opinions and reviews are our own, and we are not paid to provide them. Check the "About us" page for more details.